Portable Crib Enclosure

ABSTRACT

A portable modular enclosure used for a baby in a porta crib or play yard. The enclosure has four panels made of mesh material with a flexible frame so that a baby will not be able to clearly see through the panels. The enclosure is constructed of four panels removably connected by snaps, zippers or other connecting means. All our panels fold down to a size which can be inserted into a single carrying case for transportation. The front panel has a flap cut into the panel providing access to the enclosure which can be closed shut or suspended in the open position with VELCRO.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a light weight portable modularapparatus to secure a baby, in a porta crib, play yard or other similardevice, in an enclosure which prevents the baby from being disturbed.More particularly, the present invention is directed to a portablemodular enclosure with mesh walls which prohibit a clear view into orout of the enclosure so as to impede any visual stimulation to the babyinside the enclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When parents travel with babies, it is often the case that the babyshares the bedroom with the parents. The parents often secure the babyinto a porta crib in the evening or a play yard during the day. Thedrawback to this arrangement is that the baby is often disturbed orawoken while in the play yard or porta crib by visual stimulation in theroom.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide aportable light weight enclosure constructed out of opaque tightly wovenmesh-type material into which the baby can be placed while in the portacrib or play yard that will prohibit the baby from seeing motion oractivity outside of the enclosure. The mesh material is light weight andcan be folded into a size convenient for storage in a single carry bag.Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide anenclosure which is sized to fit into standard bedrooms and hotel rooms.The benefit realized is that the parents can share their bedroom with ababy without the baby becoming disturbed by their presence in the room.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A portable enclosure for securing a baby in a porta crib, play yard orother similar device, comprising four rectangular panels each with aflexible frame attached thereto with cooperating attachment deviceslocated on the panels to allow the panels to fit together over the frameto define an enclosed space into which a porta crib, play yard or othersimilar device can he placed; a centrally disposed flap fixed at a topportion of a first panel extending downwardly from the upper end fixedportion of the first panel and continuing through the bottom portion ofthe first panel with cooperating fastener means formed on the flap andthe top portion of the enclosure whereby the flap can be disengaged fromthe first panel into which it is cut and secured to the top portion ofthe first panel to create an opening to access the inside of theenclosed space; the rectangular panels being fabricated out of an opaquetightly woven mesh material and attached flexible frame and are adaptedto folding the panels into a storage configuration to be secured into acarrying case; and the rectangular mesh panels allow light and air toflow through the enclosure but obscure the view into or out of theenclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the back panel.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a side panel.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a three panel partial assembly.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the front panel.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the front panel and hatch.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the complete assembly.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a panel being folded.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a folded panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described in terms of the presentlypreferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the drawings. Those ofordinary skill in the art will recognize that many obvious modificationsmay be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of thepresent invention.

The present invention is directed to a portable modular screening device5 as illustrated in the appended drawings and in particular FIG. 6. Inthe presently preferred embodiment, the portable modular screeningdevice 5 is contemplated to be 58″ high, 33″ deep and 44″ wide. Theportable modular screening device 5 is comprised of opaque tightly wovenmesh material panels 9, 9′, 11 and 11′ supported by a flexible frame 7which can be compressed for storage and expanded for use. Specifically,in the presently preferred embodiment, it is contemplated that thepanels 9 and 9′ are approximately 58″ high and 44″ wide and mesh panels11 and 11′ are approximately 58″ high and 33″ wide. The panels 9, 9′, 11and 11′ are fabricated from a lightweight tightly woven mesh materialwhich allows air to pass through the panels but is opaque as it obscureslight from passing though the panels. The frame 7 is constructed of alightweight composite material. The frame 7 are sewn into the meshpanels 9, 9′, 11 and 11′ so that the frame elements are connected as theindependent panels are assembled into the screening device. Panels 9 and9′ are zippered together to panels 11 and 11′ after the frame 7 has beenexpanded. Alternatively, the panels may be attached by one or more ofthe following methods: screw and nut, snap fit, screw with threadedinsert, hook and loop, push-on fastener, turn-on fastener or VELCRO®connection. The modular screening device 5 further comprises an opening13 in panel 9′ cut into 9′ on three sides leaving the top portionattached and forming a hinge for the opening 13 through which access isgained into the enclosed space created by the erection of panels 9, 9′,11 and 11′ and frame 7. As shown in FIG. 5, Hatch 15 is created byopening 13 in panel 9′ and is conveniently stored in the open positionby rolling it up and securing it to the top of panel 9′ with the use ofVELCRO® strips 19 or other similar connection device. As shown in FIG.4, hatch 15 is also secured in the closed position in panel 9′ by theuse of VELCRO strips 19 applied to the edges of opening 13 in panel 9′and to the edges of hatch 15.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the flexible frame 7 for each panel isgenerally rectangular in shape and when fully expanded across each panel(9, 9′, 11 and 11′) it acts as an expanded spring locked into positionby the stiffness created by the mesh stretched across the frame on eachpanel. As such, in order to told any of the panels (9,9′, 11 and 11′)into the circular disk shape required for storage or transportation, theframe is twisted as shown in FIG. 7 in opposite directions to break thestiffness of the frame 7 in the mesh on each panel and allow each panel(9, 9′, 11, 11′) to collapse into a circular shape for transportation orstorage as shown in FIG. 8.

The present invention can also be provided with four small flat portionsof the panel material 15 in the bottom portion of panels 9 and 9′ ontowhich the supports or legs of an item inserted into the modularscreening device 5 such as a porta crib or play yard can be placed. Inthis way, additional structural rigidity is imparted to the device 5.

In the preferred embodiment, the panels 9 and 9′ are attached to 11 and11′ via a zipper attachment 17 as shown in FIG. 3. In this embodiment itis shown that the tape, teeth and pull of the zipper elements 19 will becolor coded so that the edges of panels 9 and 9 intended to be joinedwith the edges of panels 11 and 11′ are the same color. In this way, theintended assembly method and order will be immediately apparent to onewho, for the first time, attempts assembly of the portable modularscreen.

In the preferred embodiment, the modular screening device 5 is assembledin a typical hotel room or guest bedroom and a porta crib, play yard orother similar device is inserted into the modular screening device 5 byrolling up the hatch and securing it with VELCRO® strips 19 as shown inFIG. 5, A baby is placed into the porta crib, play yard or other similardevice and the hatch is released and allowed to roll down to a closedposition on panel 11 secured shut by VELCRO® strips 19 as shown in FIG.4,

At this point, the baby can no longer clearly see outside the modularscreening device because the panel walls are constructed of mesh whichobscures light. Further, the baby cannot see over the 58″ high panels 9,9′, 11 and 11′. As is known to those of ordinary skill in the art, ababy will usually become agitated and start to cry when he or she seessomeone (especially a parent) in the room with them. When the baby is inthe modular screening device, the baby cannot see outside the meshpanels and therefore is less likely to become agitated and cry.

After use, the modular screening device 5 may be disassembled byunzipping the side panels 9, 9′, 11 and 11′ Each of the panels 9, 9′,11, 11′ can then be broken down into circular disks by twisting theflexible frame elements 7 on panels 9, 9′, 11 and 11′ as shown in FIG.7. All four circular panels (9, 9′, 11 and 11′), now in circular diskform, fit into a circular carry bag that is approximately 22″ indiameter as shown in FIG. 8.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the embodimentsjust described merely illustrate the principles of the presentinvention. Many obvious modifications may be made thereto withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth in theappended claims.

1. A portable enclosure for securing a baby in a porta crib, play yardor other similar device, comprising: four rectangular panels each with aflexible frame attached thereto with cooperating attachment deviceslocated on the panels to allow the panels to fit together to define anenclosed space into which a porta crib, play yard or other similardevice can be placed; a centrally disposed flap fixed at a top portionof a first panel extending downwardly from the upper end fixed portionof the first panel and continuing through the bottom portion of thefirst panel with cooperating fastener means formed on the flap and thetop portion of the enclosure whereby the flap can be disengaged from thefirst panel into which it is cut and secured to the top portion of thefirst panel to create an opening to access the inside of the enclosedspace; the rectangular panels being fabricated out of an opaque tightlywoven mesh material and attached flexible frame and are adapted tofolding the panels into a storage configuration to be secured into acarrying case; and the rectangular mesh panels allow light and air toflow through the enclosure but obscure the view into or out of theenclosure.
 2. A portable enclosure as set forth in claim 1, in which thedevice further comprises color coding of the cooperating attachmentdevices on the rectangular panels to facilitate assembly of theenclosure.
 3. A portable enclosure as set forth in claim 1 in which thedevice further comprises pieces attached to the bottom corners of thepanels on which the legs of the porta crib are placed to provideadditional rigidity to the enclosure.
 4. A portable enclosure as setforth in claim 1, in which the device further comprises a carry casewhere the rectangular mesh panels and attached flexible frame are foldedand stored for ease of transportation and storage.